Blacklist
Midnight Of The Century
©2009 Weird Records
www.listofblack.com
www.myspace.com/blacklistmusic
When lyrics are left to the listener to interpret, a woven beauty intermingles between subtle and explicit that can be combed over finely again and again. Nothing lost. Such is the case with this New York City’s debut CD. Different reviews have this pegged as politically inclined while at the other end of the spectrum, more allusive and sexual. I find neither, but wholly somewhere down the middle. Most rock and roll is of a romantic, sexual nature, whether the lyrics or the musical bed upon which it lays intends it as so. Blacklist reminds me of the glam sound of Depeche Mode and the Cure, or the goth sound of Ashton Nyte’s, The Awakening. Yet, I would be remiss to pigeonhole these boys down those musical paths. It definitely has a 90’s vibe, clearly with the guitar effects, but a strong sound nonetheless that you would find at any of the finest clubs/bars where quality music is lifted above the din of the floor. The crowd buzz transcends beyond the night to remind the listener that good music need not be disposable.
“Still Changes” captures the mind at first jaunt with a wall of clean rhythm with blasting guitar, while “Flight Of The Demoiselles” gives a solid U2/the Alarm guitar jangle that heats this release up. “Shock In The Hotel Falcon” has a tribal element out of the gate, making for one of the discs stand out cuts. “Odessa”, another strong song, has a cleanly mixed acoustic vibe overriding the song, making the vocals rise above it all. Other standout tracks are “Julie Speaks”, “When Worlds Collide”, and “The Believer”.
When debuts are this strong, one has to wonder how far can they go in a music market inundated with sub-marginal talent. Often overlooked is the talented band that is on a mission to endure. I will take the enduring, independent buzz of an upcoming band/artist any day compared to the spoon-fed fodder for the masses.
9.5 of 10 clicks
thecannyshark
March 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment